Report of Board of Visitors to the Georgia School for the Deaf, 1910 May 26

REPORT
OF
BOARD OF VISITORS
GEORGIA SCHOOL FOR
THE DEAF
MAY 26, 1910.
ATLANTA, GA.
GRAS. P. BYRD, State Printer, 1910.

.

REPORT
To His Excellency, JOSEPH M. BROWN,
Governor of Georgia:
>SIR: The Board of Visitors named to visit the Georgia School for the Deaf at ,Cave Spring inspected the school on May 26, 1910, and beg leave to submit the following report and suggestions:
We were impressed with the splendid location of the school and the beauty of its surroundings and the admirable equipment of buildings, sheps and general appointments. The grove and lawn sloping gra;cefully from the dormitories and school 'building must leave a lasting and helpful sense of the beautiful upon the minds of the children who are trained into life's new and practical meaning at this pleasant spot. Everything is well kept and neatly ordered about the whole premises' and a quiet air of gentility rests upon all, showing a pride in the institution the State maintains for its children who are defective in hearing and who dwell in silence that would be appalling but for the intelligent bounty of our noble commonwealth.
We found all buildings in a good state of repair, kept with strictest regard to cleanliness, and well adapted to school and dormitor'y uses. There seems to 'be ample room for the girls now in the school, but the boys" dormitory is badly crowded. At present there are eight beds, single iron frame, in every room in this building, the rooms not exceeding 20
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feet square. Such crowding is unavoidable because

of the number to be accommodated and the lack of

more space, but this should be remedied promptly

as suggested in later sections of this report. The school rooms are well arranged and fur-

,

nished, well lighted and ventilated and provided

with the simple apparatuS' needed for the instruc-

tion of speech to those not aided by any sen e of

hearing. The number of pupils in each class, while

not now greatly excessive, should be reduced if pos-

sible so as to place each pupil more closely under

the eye and per onal attention of the teacher. We

suggest at least two or three more sooool rooms and

teachers if these can be provided without a great

increase of the maintenance fund.

The system of instruction i oral, as far as is pos-

sible. The oral department is well arranged and

the course is scientific and progressive in plan and

principle. From the earliest kindergarten work, il-

lustrating color and form and feeling and eye-train-

ing through the articulation 'of simple words up to

the pronunciation of more difficult names found in

the geography, there is evidence of a painstaking

care nothing less than wonderful. Classes were ob-

served in recitation in spelling, arithmetic, history,

English, geography, reading, writing, and other

common s'chool branches, showing a proficiency that

was gratifying and quite up to the work of hearing

ohildren of similar grades. The work of the schol-

ars in acquiring these branc;hes is complete, but of

course is marked by the more or less imperfect ar-

ticulation of words, which can not be given with the

ease and fluency of hearing children.

In the Manual department the same thoroughness

of study and acquisiti'on of knowledge is shown in

all branches, but without any effort by the pupils in

articulation or results by speec;h.

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11 is not to be under tood that the cqildren caIl,
nor do the 'officers of the chool claim it, by speech utter all word ea ily and naturally. The limitations imposed hy their deafness can not be removed unles full hearing could be restored. All the public exercise and chapel ervices are conducted in the accepted signs of the deaf and finger spelling, used by all the children alike in the oral and the manual departments. Lip reading at any distance is known and conceded to be among the practical impossibilities, however much it may be available in the close contact (If cIa s room and home life of the pupils.
Especial mention is made of the wonderful work and progress of the pupils' in the industrial departments and in decorative art. Beautiful work was hown in sewing, hoe making, printing, wood working, carving, basketry, drawing, drawn work, and embroidery. The practical work i excellent, as for instance all the clothing, caps and shoe worn by the pupils are made by them, cutting fitting, and completing of all garments being included in the school work by the girl. In the shoe hop the boy are taught to make, and do make and turn out complete, all the hoe worn by the pupils. In the wood shop the boy are taught to make and do turn out, as from the best cabinet hop all the ohair , tables, bureaus, chiffonier, mantel, book cases, and other furniture used in the chool room and dormitorie as well as some of the most perfect work in carving and decorating of che t , chairs, book racks, boxe , stools, screens, and various other useful and ornamental articles. In cookinO" the girls are taught the whole subject, from gatherino- vegetables in the garden and their preparation for the table, or taking groceries as they are usually delivered to the preparation of a complete meal. A Ie on menu is prepared and recipes are given and followed out for baking bread,
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biscuit, rolls, cake and a:U the other mysteries and

miracles 'of the kitchen to placing it hot and tooth-

some on a neatly set table ready to tap the bell for

the family to sit down to wholesome food.

We inspected the negro department, where everything was found in good order. Thirty or more

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negro children of school age were well instructed.

They showed advancement in reading and writing

and arithmetic, letter writing, and other simple

branches. The method is entirely manual. The

work of the girls in plain sewing, garment making

and in drawn work is very good.

The dormitory was clean and in good order. Some

of the iron beds were in a sad state of dilapidation

from sheer long use and even with good care. The

kitchen and laundry were clean and well kept.

Besides the need of better beds there is an insist-

ent need of an infirmary. When any of the chil-

dren are sick they must perforce remain in the same

sleeping apartments with 'other children. In cases

of contagious diseases, or any epidemic of even mild

form, the results might become disastrous.

A separate building for this purpose need not be

large or expensive, but it is seriously needed. This

building could also be made to afford better bath-

ing facilities for the pupils. While they are kept

clean now in pers'on and ha'bits the methods are

necessarily primitive. Prof. Gordon, the instructor,

deserves great praise in his 'Work.

The practical part of all the school work is to fit

every pupil for a life self-sustaining and self-re-

specting, providing for all its own actual needs in

spite of the handicap of deafness that would usually

be considered a bar to all the useful and profitable

work of our plain people.

We can not pass from this review of the work of

the school without commending the splendid corps

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of teachers and instructors. Prof. W. O. Connor,

the able principal for forty-three years, has builded

in this work the highest te tirnonial to his own supe-

rior fitness for his great life calling. As the head

and director of it all he ha been a blessing to the

deaf children of our State past all expression of

our admiration of the results of his work. We con-

sider Georgia fortunate in having a devoted, conse-

crated, and withal an unassuming gentleman, with

the very spirit of a child and the heart of a mother

to guide our deficient children into lives of useful-

ness and happy accomplishment.

He is ably assisted by the lady associate principal,

Miss' Nettie McDaniel, whose work is of the highest

order and whose direction and planning of classes

is most excellent. None the less do we commend

the ladies teaching the various oral grades and the

gentlemen who teach in the manual and industrial

departments. Names may not be given at length,

but our observation of all evinced thoroughness and

succesS' in every case. We learn with pleasure that

the entire list of teachers has been re-elected by the

trustees, upon the nomination of Principal Connor,

for the ensuing year. The salaries in many cases

are but meager when judged by the standard of their

work and the difficulties they surmount by their skill

in teaching without ears some of the brightest pupils

Georgia can afford.

No less do we commend the faithful board of trus-

,

tees, who give their time and attention to the details

of the school without any compensation. Without

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invidious distinction we mention especially Dr. J. W.

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Taylor, of Meriwether -County, one of the trustees

of over thirty years standing. This courtly gentle-

man of the old school accompanied us upon our in-

spection and rendered valuable aid in our work. His

f~therly interest and affection for the school should

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commend him e pecially to our peopie and to the parents' of the children entrusted to its tuition.
We understood a bill is before the State Legislature providing for the appropriation of some $50,000 to more thoroughly equip and enlarge the scope of the chool and make it somewhat adequate to the needs of all the deaf children of the State. This bill is pre ented specifically for three purposes:
'1'0 connect the old and new dormitories by an annex some 5Ox90 feet, three stories and basement. This to afford the needed leeping rooms for pupils and avoid the present 'Congestion in the boys' dormitory.
To increase the water power plant to 50,000 gallons capacity in the stand pipe, and to reinforce the dynamo capacity by water motor so that electric lights may be maintained throughout the night. The power plant now closes down at 10 0 'clock and the neces ary lighting of halls is done by lamps which are a menace not only to the buildings but to the sleeping pupils as well.
To complete the basement of the new boy , dormitory and provide gymnasium and better bathing facilities.
To construct a barn f.or the use of the proposed farming and dairying department. This department would carry al 0 the raising of poultry and illustrate the smaller farm economies that are being fo tered in the great "back to the farm" movement of our State. The present methods of industrial instruction would nece arily take away from tbe farm home the young man who may have become a printer, shoe maker, cabinet worker, painter, blacksmith, or other workman the s'chool may turn out. The young woman who has been educated, besides her tudies, in the art {)f the seamstre s, laundry work~r, basket maker, would have her usefulness in-
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creased as a home helper and housekeeper by the practical and scientific work in dairying, poultry, and bee keeping, horticulture and small fruits, the new department may include in it scope.
Such a sum as proposed, and for the purposes outlined above, would be one of the best investments the State could make. It will add to the usefulness and more fully meet the needs of the institution that stand today as Georgia's pride in economic effectivene s.
We recommend at lea t one more supervi or for the boys. A faithful one i now in charge, but there are too many boys for one man to properly direct. If one could take charge of the smaller pupils and one could have the larger ones a more adequate supervi ion in the dormitory, tudy hall, and recreation hours could be given. We noticed no disorderline s in any respect but we would readily see the need of an additional man in this work.
We suggest further that a school census of children totally deaf, or too deaf to enter the common schools of the State, be made by the County School Commi sioners. We ubmit that a mere recital of numbers would be <of no value in thi respe'ct. The names and addresses of the parents of children almost, or totally, deficient in hearing should be furnished, to the principal of the School for the Deaf. The sooner this could be done the better for our people. Prof. Connor could issue instructions to such parents that would aid greatly in the development of these pupils who are backward. The home treatment and guidance {)f a totally deaf child need not be as towards a pet imbecile, but can be made most effective in preparing the mind for the school course the State will furnish as soon as school age is reached.
Such a census would make the school reach prac-
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tically every case of child-deafness in our State. It might entail a heavier expense upon the Statewhere the parents' are unable to bear some of the expense-:but this should not be avoided. The State will arise to such an emergency and equip the school to all demands upon it. The State School Commissioners would secure and tabulate the reports as to deaf mutes most efficiently.
The members of the Hoard of Visitors wish to express' their appreciation of the school and of this opportunity to inspect its workings. It has been a delightful task, and yet the needs of the children, however well they ma:y be instructed, appeal directly to us. It is true they do not sit in darkness and tears, for their bright eyes and happy smiles and buoyant spirits are a rebuke to us all, yet they dwell in a silent realm where no sound may break the stillness, a silent world shut out from all the music of the life they must enjoy as best they can-yet their deafness brings them no gloom.
This report is moslt respectfully submitted to your Excellency.
JAMES D. WADE, Ohairman, W. F. CRUSSELLE, Secretary, J. L. CARTLEDGE, A. R. FORTUNE, H. M. STANLEY, A. C. McCALLA,
Board of Visitors.
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